Western Province Downhill Round 2 - Helderberg, South Africa

The second stop of the 2014 Western Province Downhill season saw 76 racers converge high above Somerset West for a quite unseasonal, red-hot day of racing. Helderberg’s jagged peaks provided some good shade during the earlier hours of morning practice, but as the rays began to beam over the top, the mercury was soon bubbling in the mid-thirties. With very little shaded areas on the course, and limited water supplies, it was going to be a long day behind bars, behind the lens or behind a cool-box full of Castle if you had the foresight.








The track was dry and fairly challenging, remaining mostly the same as last year, apart from a long and loose rock garden added in at the top. The middle section consisted of a big road gap followed by a number of tight, bermy corners and lots of powdery dust, quite perfect for those with a roost fetish. Towards the end, things opened up with a somewhat flat, pedally bike-park section and a ton of rollers, doubles, hips, tables and gaps to the finish line.








With the 2014 World Cup starting next week, this race served as good practice and a final testing ground. Both Andrew Neethling (Giant) and his brother Jonty (Morewood) joined the event and came in 1st and 3rd respectively. Separating the two was Stefan Garlicki (Solid), just over 2 seconds behind Andrew. Pro German riders Steffi Marth and Jasper Jauch also took part in the race, leading up to the World Cup pilgramage to Pietermaritzburg.







"The Steilte Trails Bikepark is quickly becoming one of my favourite places to ride. I was surprised at just how physical the track was actually, not the longest track around but certainly demanding on the entire body with no ‘resting’ spots. " - Myles Kelsey, 1st Veteran Men



Top 10 overall:
1. Andrew Neethling 01.59.255
2. Stefan Garlicki 02.01.534
3. Jonty Neethling 02.05.653
4. Theo Erlangsen 02.06.072
5. Adi Van Der Merwe 02.07.003
6. Timothy Godfrey 02.07.432
7. Jasper Jauch 02.09.654
8. Luke Davis 02.11.574
9. Dane Olsen 02.13.184
10. Roman Kumpers 02.13.656

Full results can be found here.

Luckily only two incidents, with Duran van Eeden potentially breaking his finger, and Emile Klaasen winded from a hard fall, meant everything ran smoothly.


In all it was another fantastic day on South African dirt with big smiles inside and outside the tape. A big thank you goes out to everyone who came out today to show their support. Jan and Wimpie for allowing us to use this scenic venue with an amazing track! All the guys who put long hours and hard work in building this track! The Medics keeping us safe and in one piece. The marshals for braving the sun and long hours on their feet blowing those whistles and keeping everyone on their toes. Great Time for making sure your times are recorded in great accuracy! Avis for the vehicles and the shuttle drivers who make sure you guys get on time and safely at the top. Michael from X-Fusion for the kicking beats and the shade! Special thanks to Adriaan Smit aka Smittie for always helping us to pack up and leave the venue clean! Last but not least, thanks to each and every WP Downhill committee member for the hard work they put in to make these events possible!